Kolkata: Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday exuded confidence that the unfortunate killing of a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan by a Bangladeshi border guard will not have impact on the bilateral ties between the two countries and said that he would talk to his India counterpart Amit Shah, if need to defuse the situation. Khan also stated that an Indian fisherman, who was arrested on Thursday for trespassing into Bangladesh waters, will be released, in accordance with the norms.

A report by news agency PTI quoted Khan saying that a "misunderstanding between the forces" led to the killing of BSF head constable Vijay Bhan Singh. "Steps would be taken to ensure that such incidents don't recur. If needed, I will talk to Amit Shah to diffuse the situation," he said.

A BSF statement said the incident took place in Murshidabad district around 9 am when a force party approached the BGB troops, standing at a "char" or a riverine in the middle of the Padma river, to resolve an issue linked to Indian fishermen.

"Yes, we have received a complaint from the BSF. A case has been registered and investigation is on," Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar said. The BSF officials, too, confirmed that police have lodged an FIR against the BGB.

Refuting claims by the Bangladeshi border force that its patrol team "had to open fire in self-defence", a senior official of the BSF said not a single bullet was fired from the Indian side. A BSF jawan from Uttar Pradesh lost his life while constable Rajveer Singh was injured after BGB personnel fired at the BSF troops during a flag meeting along the India-Bangladesh border.

In their defence, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) said that a patrol party had entered Bangladesh ‘illegally’ to take back a fisherman in their custody and they had to open fire in ‘self-defence.’ Bangladeshi border guard fired from his AK-47 rifle during a 'flag meeting' along the border in West Bengal, killing Bhan Singh and injuring another jawan, Rajvir Yadav.

Terming the incident "unfortunate", the Bangladesh home minister said the director-general of both the forces should ideally sit together and solve the issue. "The two countries share a cordial relationship and the same applies for the BSF and the BGB," he said.

"There has been an unfortunate incident, but I am hopeful that the director-general of both the forces would sit together and solve the matter," news agency PTI quoted Khan as saying. Asked about the fisherman who is in Bangladesh police custody, Khan said, "He will be released. At times when fishermen of both the countries unknowingly stray into each other's territories, they are released during flag meetings following laid-down procedures."